"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget." –Arundhati Roy

Hi Ogyen,What a vast difference?I'm still miles behind and its many many miles.My poem is too direct and can be comprehended with such ease.You really know how to change an amateur poem into one written by a real professional poet.Good, I am learning from the gift that you have and please keep giving that golden touch to my poems whenever you have time to spare.I really appreciate what you have done.You're good, a good Dharma sister.nirmal

nirmal wrote:Hi Ogyen,What a vast difference?I'm still miles behind and its many many miles.My poem is too direct and can be comprehended with such ease.You really know how to change an amateur poem into one written by a real professional poet.Good, I am learning from the gift that you have and please keep giving that golden touch to my poems whenever you have time to spare.I really appreciate what you have done.You're good, a good Dharma sister.nirmal

I often just feel what you're trying to say, and then use your own words to put it a little bit another way. I only write, what I come away with in what you write.

You are the poet. I am the reader/fan. In a way, it's fan-poetry. HAHA. I only reply because your poems reveal themselves to me. Like you put this rough diamond there, and I see the gem of what you're trying to say. Does that make sense? It's just an editor's eye perhaps you just need a second pair of eyes to find what is in your work already. I gladly read. Sometimes things jump out at me, sometimes they don't. When they do, I respond. Keep writing, your stuff has real potential!!

"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget." –Arundhati Roy

This is soooo powerful, but needs something. I don't know what yet, but what I bolded I sense holds the kernel of power for this piece. The whole concept of the poem about awakening I sense lies in this line. It is the cyclical existence of repetition... if it comes to me, I'll let you know.

"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget." –Arundhati Roy

"To love. To be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and the vulgar disparity of life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all, to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never, to forget." –Arundhati Roy